


Moriarty Sent Jonathan Small (The Mayfly Man)

by wellthengameover



Series: Sherlock Meta [12]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Analysis, Episode: s03e02 The Sign of Three, Meta, Other, Sherlock Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2015-11-20
Packaged: 2018-05-02 14:58:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5252522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellthengameover/pseuds/wellthengameover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>The invisible man, with the invisible knife.</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moriarty Sent Jonathan Small (The Mayfly Man)

I’m not talking symbolically about the stabbing; [other people have already done that a whole bunch](http://deducingbbcsherlock.tumblr.com/post/77248066893/sherlocks-mind-palace-the-baker-street-room). I’m saying that Jim “fixed” Jonathan Small’s literal crime. I noticed it right away in TSoT.

**1) Jonathan Small is _way_ creepier than you’re expecting:  **

> SMALL: I should’ve killed him quicker.

TSoT isn’t a  _happy_ episode, but it’s not creepy. Jonathan Small’s creepiness is not in keeping with the tone of the rest of the episode. He’s supposed to stick out and he does.

**2) He looks like Jim:**

  

Dark hair, dark eyes, similar skin tone, similar stubble pattern, same build.

**3) He’s dressed like Jim:**

 

Literally the _first_ _thing_ I thought when I saw Jonathan Small stalking Bainbridge was "He looks just like Jim from TRF.” Same jacket, dark baseball cap, pretending to be a tourist, doing illegal things at royal landmarks. This is not a coincidence. 

**4) He’s described like Jim:**

> SHERLOCK: Brilliant, ruthless, almost certainly a monomaniac.

That is a description of Jim, and Jim was the first person I associated it with when Sherlock said that.

**5) His plan is ridiculously complicated.** I know it’s metaphorical. But even Jonathan Small says it’s too complicated:

>   
> 
> 
> SMALL: … I should have killed him quicker.
> 
> SMALL: I shouldn’t have tried to be clever.

When he says “I should’ve killed him quicker,” he smiles/chuckles. But then he shakes his head and looks regretful and says “I shouldn’t have tried to be clever.” And the first thing I thought of when he said that was:

> JIM: I knew you’d fall for it! That’s your weakness – you always want everything to be clever.

Jonathan Small thinks he should’ve used a simpler plan. Who could’ve encouraged him to make his plan that ridiculously complicated? Jim. 

_Dear Jim, will you fix it for me? To get rid of my brother’s old commander?_

**6)** **He dates lonely young women to get close to his victim:**

 

Interestingly, both Molly and Tessa are medical professionals, as well. **  
**

**7) Jim’s name is Jonathan Small’s victim’s name.** Jonathan Small’s obsession is Sholto. Jim’s obsession is Sherlock. Sholto’s first name is James, and it _wasn’t in ACD._ Mofftisson specifically put that in there to remind you of Jim.

**8)** **He implies he’s acting for someone else.**

> SMALL: It’s not _me_ you should be arresting, Mr Holmes.

He goes on to say that Sholto is the real killer, but there’s this pause before he continues where you’re supposed to think of Jim. I was literally waiting for him to say it was Jim that Sherlock should be arresting. Jonathan Small blames Sholto - the victim - and as Sholto is a mirror for Sherlock, this is similar to how Jim blamed Sherlock for Reichenbach.

**9) He’s the invisible man with the invisible knife.**

>   
>  ** **
> 
> ARCHIE: The invisible man with the invisible knife.

Okay, who is _really_ the invisible man on this show? Who’s controlling everything in the background and you don’t even know it? Who doesn’t like to get his hands dirty? Who isn’t able to be connected to most of the crimes he’s involved in because he only consults?

> JIM: No one ever gets to me … and no one ever will.

Then there’s the question of why it’s helpful in the story to have Jonathan Small connected to Jim. But that’s simple: [John and Mary’s wedding is the first major step in burning Sherlock’s heart out](http://wellthengameover.tumblr.com/post/105279839079/the-final-problem). And who does the  _literal stabbing_ (not the metaphorical stabbing: that was John) of Sholto aka Sherlock? Jim via Jonathan Small.

**Author's Note:**

> Transcribed from [my meta blog on tumblr](http://wellthengameover.tumblr.com/my-sherlock-meta). Much more there.


End file.
